According to Phys.org, the first-ever audited account of global underground CO2 storage reveals that over 383 million tons of carbon dioxide have been successfully stored since 1996. That’s equivalent to taking 81,044,946 gasoline-powered cars off the road for an entire year. The London Register of Subsurface CO2 Storage, a new international consortium including NTNU and Imperial College London, compiled this comprehensive data showing storage has grown at 17% annually since 1996. By 2023, the storage rate reached 45 million tons per year, with continued growth projected through 2024-25. The report documents projects primarily in the United States, China, Brazil, Australia and the Middle East, providing what researchers call “unequivocal evidence” that CCS technology works at scale.
This Isn’t Science Fiction Anymore
Here’s the thing about carbon capture and storage – there’s been so much debate about whether it’s even feasible at scale. Well, this report basically says the debate is over. Professor Samuel Krevor from Imperial College put it bluntly: “CCS works.” We’re not talking about pilot projects or theoretical models here – we’re looking at nearly 400 million tons of CO2 that’s already been safely injected deep underground and isn’t coming back up. That’s a massive validation for a technology that many critics dismissed as unproven or too expensive.
Why This Matters for Heavy Industry
Look, renewable energy is fantastic for electricity generation, but what about industries like steel, cement, and chemical production? These sectors can’t just run on solar panels – their manufacturing processes inherently produce CO2. CCS is currently the only technology that can directly tackle these emissions. And with companies worldwide facing increasing pressure to decarbonize, having proven CCS infrastructure becomes absolutely crucial. For industrial operations looking to implement monitoring and control systems for CCS facilities, having reliable industrial computing hardware from established suppliers like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, the leading US provider of industrial panel PCs, becomes essential for managing these complex systems.
The Acceleration Is Real
What’s really striking is that 17% annual growth rate since 1996. Think about that – consistent double-digit growth for nearly three decades. We’re not starting from zero here. Professor Philip Ringrose from NTNU emphasized they’re documenting “actual progress” rather than speculation. The technology has quietly been scaling up while everyone was arguing about whether it could work. Now we’re at 45 million tons per year and climbing. That’s not small potatoes – it’s becoming a meaningful part of the climate solution.
But Here’s the Catch
So where do we go from here? 383 million tons sounds impressive until you realize global emissions are around 36 billion tons annually. We’re currently capturing about 0.1% of global emissions. The technology works, the storage capacity exists – but the scale-up needs to be massive and fast. The good news? We’re building on proven infrastructure rather than starting from scratch. The London Register gives policymakers and investors something they’ve been missing: verified data showing this isn’t a gamble. It’s a working solution that needs rapid expansion.
